The CDL Rapid Screening Consortium is a private led non-profit organization specializing in the development of a cost effective system in order to reopen the economy during the COVID-19 pandemic without widely available vaccines or treatments. The consortium is focused on establishing a rapid screening system and operational implementation strategy for COVID-19 to benefit the public in Canada and the rest of the world. The system will serve as an added layer of protection in conjunction with social distancing, mask wearing and pre-screening employees.
The innovative new screening program is led by the Creative Destruction Lab and includes as members 11 diverse companies including Air Canada, Rogers, Scotiabank, Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, Magna, CPP Investment Board, Genpact, MDA Corporation, Nutrien, Shoppers Drug Mart and Suncor. First of its kind, the consortium aims to launch an antigen rapid testing program to combat the COVID-19 pandemic by protecting their employees and publishing a playbook for businesses throughout Canada to reopen safely. After collaborating for several months, the consortium has created an operating manual on how to run rapid antigen tests in work settings and have begun piloting testing in their workplaces. The group intends to share the system for free with their competitors and plans to share their tests results with government health authorities, providing an informal study of the spread of COVID-19 among asymptomatic people.
Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP supported the launch of CDL Rapid Screening Consortium’s pilot program with a team consisting of Chad Bayne (Emerging and High Growth Companies), Andrew MacDougall, Kojo Hayward (Corporate), Joanna Fine, Komil Joshi (Privacy & Data Management) and Susan Newell (Health).